SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5797

BYSenators Pullen, Bender, von Reichbauer and Amondson

Clarifying when a city or county may modify the building code.

Senate Committee on Governmental Operations

Senate Hearing Date(s):March 1, 1989

Majority Report:  Do pass.

      Signed by Senators McCaslin, Chairman; Thorsness, Vice Chairman; Conner, Pullen, Sutherland.

Senate Staff:Eugene Green (786-7405); Desley Brooks (786-7443)

                  March 16, 1989

AS PASSED SENATE, MARCH 15, 1989

BACKGROUND:

In 1985, the State Advisory Building Code Council was renamed the State Building Code Council.  The Building Code Council was mandated to update the State Building Code; adopt amendments to the State Building Code; and to approve or deny all county or city amendments to the Building Code if such amendment applied to single family or multi-family residential buildings (as defined).  Cities and counties were also prohibited from excluding single family or multi-family buildings from the application of the State Building Code. 

City and county amendments to the State Building Code may not result in a code that is less than the minimum performance standards and objectives in the State Building Code.  It has been suggested that city and county amendments to the State Building Code should not exceed the minimum performance standards and objectives.

SUMMARY:

In addition to the requirement that cities and counties may not set standards below the State Building Code minimum performance standards, the standards may also not exceed the minimum performance standards.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      none requested

Senate Committee - Testified: Don McDonald, Seattle Master Builders (pro); Gary Lowe, Washington State Association of Counties (con); Kathleen Collins, Association of Washington Cities (con); Jim Sommers (pro)